Mickey Rourke (32 page)

B
UT AN EVEN MORE EYE-CATCHING OUTFIT WAS QUIETLY BEING ASSEMBLED FOR THE ELDERLY
C
HIHUAHUA.
A
T THE
O
SCARS,
L
OKI WAS DUE TO WEAR A MINIATURE WHITE TUXEDO AND BLACK SHIRT, A REPLICA OF THE
J
EAN
P
AUL
G
AULTIER OUTFIT WHICH
M
ICKEY WAS PLANNING TO WEAR AT THE CEREMONY.
B
UT
L
OKI WOULD NEVER GET TO SHOW IT OFF ON THE RED CARPET.
A
FTER A SHORT ILLNESS, THE SEVENTEEN-AND-A-HALF-YEAR-OLD
C
HIHUAHUA, WHOM
M
ICKEY LOVED MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD DIED IN THE STAR’S ARMS, JUST SIX DAYS BEFORE THE
O
SCARS.

O
N THE DAY BEFORE THE
O
SCARS,
M
ICKEY USED HIS
B
EST
A
CTOR ACCEPTANCE SPEECH AT THE
I
NDEPENDENT
S
PIRIT
A
WARDS TO THANK THE THOUSANDS OF STRANGERS WHO HAD WRITTEN HIM LETTERS EXPRESSING THEIR SYMPATHY OVER
L
OKI’S DEATH.
H
E GOT CHOKED UP ON STAGE JUST MENTIONING THE DOG’S NAME.
I
T WAS A BITTERSWEET MOMENT FOR STILL-GRIEVING
M
ICKEY TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER WHEN HE STEPPED ONTO THE RED CARPET FOR THE GREATEST SHOW IN SHOWBIZ WITHOUT
L
OKI BESIDE HIM.
B
UT THE DOG WAS THERE IN ONE WAY – HIS PICTURE WAS DISPLAYED ON A PENDANT
M
ICKEY WORE AROUND HIS NECK.
H
E TOLD THE ASSEMBLED REPORTERS OUTSIDE
H
OLLYWOOD’S
K
ODAK
T
HEATRE, “
S
HE STAYED AS LONG AS SHE COULD.
S
HE LEFT ME AT A TIME WHEN SHE KNEW
I
’D BE ALL RIGHT.
I
’D RATHER HAVE
L
OKI ANOTHER TWO YEARS THAN AN
O
SCAR AND
I
TOLD HER THAT.”

B
RAD
P
ITT WAS THE NEXT OF THE
B
EST
A
CTOR NOMINEES TO ARRIVE AND DISCOUNTED HIS OWN CHANCES WHILE TELLING THE PRESS THAT WHEN HE WAS STARTING OUT IN THE BUSINESS,
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE AND
S
EAN
P
ENN WERE HIS TWO IDOLS IN ACTING AND SO HE WAS HONORED TO BE IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS THEM.

T
HE THREE-AND-A-HALF-HOUR CEREMONY, HOSTED BY
H
UGH
J
ACKMAN, GOT UNDER WAY WITH
J
ACKMAN JOKING ABOUT
M
ICKEY’S USE OF COLORFUL LANGUAGE AT RECENT AWARDS SHOWS BY TELLING
M
ICKEY HE COULD SAY ANYTHING TONIGHT BECAUSE THE
TV
BROADCASTERS WHO NORMALLY HAVE A SEVEN-SECOND DELAY HAD SWITCHED TO A TWENTY-MINUTE DELAY IN CASE HE WON.

B
UT IT SOON STARTED TO LOOK AS IF IT MIGHT NOT BE
THE WRESTLER
’S NIGHT TO WIN ANYTHING WHEN, IN THE FIRST
O
SCAR PRESENTED,
M
ICKEY’S FELLOW NOMINEE
M
ARISA
T
OMEI WAS BEATEN IN HER
B
EST
S
UPPORTING Actor category by Penelope Cruz. There was still a long time to go until the announcement of the Best Actor winner and Mickey couldn’t sit still in his front row seat all that time. During a commercial break, he got up and sat on the end of the stage talking to Harvey Weinstein until an assistant director ushered him off and back to his place just moments before the ad break was over.

E
VENTUALLY, ONCE IT BECAME CLEAR THAT
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
, ALSO A
F
OX
S
EARCHLIGHT MOVIE, WAS WINNING MOST OF THE OTHER
O
SCARS, IT WAS TIME FOR THE
B
EST
A
CTOR TO BE ANNOUNCED.
T
HE MOVIE WORLD HELD ITS BREATH TO SEE IF THE GOLD STATUE WOULD GO TO
M
ICKEY OR
S
EAN AND
M
ICHAEL
D
OUGLAS ENDED THE SUSPENSE BY ANNOUNCING
S
EAN
P
ENN AS THE WINNER.

M
ICKEY LED THE APPLAUSE AND WAS SOON BLOWING A KISS TOWARDS HIS FRIEND WHEN THE
MILK
STAR HAD THE GOOD GRACE TO END HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH WITH A TRIBUTE TO
M
ICKEY.
T
HE
B
EST
A
CTOR WINNER SAID, “
I
AM VERY PROUD TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WHICH FOR ALL ITS TOUGHNESS CREATES COURAGEOUS ARTISTS WHO, DESPITE A SENSITIVITY THAT SOMETIMES HAS BROUGHT ENORMOUS CHALLENGE,
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE RISES AGAIN – AND HE IS MY BROTHER.”

A
T HIS BACKSTAGE PRESS CONFERENCE MINUTES LATER,
P
ENN CONTINUED THE TRIBUTE, ADDING, “
W
HAT
I
THINK IS SENSATIONAL ABOUT
M
ICKEY IS THAT HE’S SIMPLY ONE OF THE GREAT POETIC TALENTS IN ACTING.
H
E QUITE LITERALLY HAD ME WEEPING ALMOST THROUGHOUT
THE WRESTLER
.
I
’VE KNOWN
M
ICKEY FOR OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.
I
CAN’T SPEAK FOR HIS CONSISTENT SENSE OF ME BECAUSE HE’S AN EXCELLENT BRIDGE-BURNER AT TIMES.
B
UT WE SHARE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP AND HE IS SOMEONE
I
’VE ALTERNATIVELY LOOKED UP TO AND ADVISED.”

I
F HE WAS DEVASTATED AT LOSING OUT ON THE BIGGEST PRIZE AFTER ALL THAT SUCCESS IN THE BUILD-UP,
M
ICKEY CERTAINLY WASN’T SHOWING IT PUBLICLY.
H
E PUT ON A WHITE COWBOY HAT AND HAPPILY HIT THE PARTY CIRCUIT LATER THAT NIGHT, NOT SHOWING ANY OUTWARD SIGNS OF BEING BOTHERED.

H
E WAS HAPPILY CHATTING AT THE
VANITY FAIR
O
SCAR PARTY WITH
C
ARLA
R
OMANO,
H
OLLYWOOD CORRESPONDENT FOR
B
RITISH MORNING
TV
SHOW
GMTV
, WHO RECALLS HIM AS A MOST MEMORABLE INTERVIEWEE.
C
ARLA SAYS, “
A
LTHOUGH HE DIDN’T WIN THAT NIGHT AND HAD CLEARLY KNOCKED BACK A FEW DRINKS, HE SEEMED SERIOUSLY PLEASED TO BE THERE AND TO BE PART OF THE ACTION.
T
O BE UP THERE MADE HIM FEEL RE-INVENTED, RE-BORN AND HIS INNER ROCK STAR CAME OUT IN FULL FORCE, ADDED WITH A DELICIOUS HUMILITY.

“
B
UT WITH A TOUCH OF THE ROCKER ABOUT HIM AND BEING ECCENTRIC AND CHAMPAGNE-FUELLED DOES NOT REALLY MAKE FOR A SAFE LIVE INTERVIEW.
A
S
I
WAS TALKING TO
M
ICKEY, HE BECAME MORE THAN A LITTLE OBSESSED WITH MY EARRINGS – THEY WERE WORTH HALF A MILLION DOLLARS AND HE WANTED THEM.
A
S THE STUDIO CROSSED TO ME LIVE THEY CLEARLY SAW
M
ICKEY TRYING TO PRISE THOSE GEMS OFF MY EARS – AS A LIVE BROADCASTER
I
LOVED THAT.
H
E WASN’T THE USUAL POST-
O
SCAR INTERVIEW.
H
E WAS DANGEROUS…YOU KNEW HE WAS GOING TO SWEAR.
B
UT THE EARRING THEFT CAME AS A HUGE SURPRISE.
I
LAUGHED MY ASS OFF.
I
LOVED IT.

“
I
LOVED HIM, TOO.
H
E’S TRUE TO HIMSELF AND DOESN’T REALLY LISTEN TO THE PUBLICIST, WHICH IS RARE IN THIS BUSINESS.
I
LOVED THE OUTFIT HE WORE, TOO.
H
E LOOKED LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN
N
OEL
C
OWARD AND
J
ON
B
ON
J
OVI.
H
E ROCKED IT.
S
EEING THAT OUTFIT, YOU KNEW IT WAS
M
ICKEY EVEN BEFORE YOU SAW HIS FACE.

“
I
HAD NEVER INTERVIEWED
M
ICKEY BEFORE BUT HE WAS ONCE IN MY TOP FIVE SEXIEST MEN.
I
WAS A BIG FAN IN THE
9½ WEEKS
DAYS.
I
GUESS HE WAS EXACTLY WHAT
I
EXPECTED – A LITTLE FLIRTY, GENTLE MIXED WITH ROUGH AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS WITH A DASH OF ‘FUCK’ FOR GOOD MEASURE.
H
E COMES ACROSS AS A BAD BOY BUT WHEN YOU TALK TO HIM THERE IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL VULNERABILITY IN HIS EYES THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO SIT AT A BAR WITH HIM, HEAR ALL HIS STORIES AND GIVE HIM A HUGE CUDDLE.

“
C
OMEBACK KIDS ARE ALWAYS FASCINATING BUT WHEN PEOPLE RISE SO QUICKLY AND THEN FALL AS HARD AS
M
ICKEY DID, PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE BEST FOR THEM.
M
ICKEY HAS HAD A HELL OF A TIME AND PLASTIC SURGERY MADE HIM SEEM LIKE A FREAKY WEIRDO TO BOOT.
B
UT NOW PEOPLE SEE A GOOD ACTOR AND SOMEONE WHO TRIED TO CLAW HIS WAY BACK.
H
E IS SO DIFFERENT TO MOST ACTORS.
H
E IS LIKE A BROKEN-DOWN ALCOHOLIC GENIUS WHO HAS GOT BACK ON THE WAGON AND IS HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE.

“
I
WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF HIS POST BOX IS NOT JAMMED FULL OF SCRIPTS NOW.
W
HEN YOU ARE HOT IN THIS TOWN YOU ARE HOT.
I
F HE CARRIES ON BEING SERIOUS ABOUT HIS CRAFT AND GETTING HIS LIFE TOGETHER THEN
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE WILL CONTINUE TO RISE.
I
F HE MANAGES TO STAY HUMBLE, THAT IS.
B
UT TEMPTATION TO BELIEVE YOUR OWN PRESS IS HUGE AND CAN MAKE YOU A DICKHEAD.
I
HOPE HE DOESN’T GO THAT ROUTE.”

A
CADEMY
A
WARD WINNER OR NOT, DICKHEAD OR NOT,
M
ICKEY WAS BACK IN THE RING, A CONTENDER AGAIN, AND A CHAMP IN MANY PEOPLE’S EYES.
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE EVEN BEAT
P
RESIDENT
O
BAMA TO THE
G
UY OF THE
Y
EAR TROPHY AT THE
J
UNE 2009
G
UY’S
C
HOICE
A
WARDS IN
LA
.
A
NNOUNCING THE TWO NOMINEES,
J
ASON
S
TATHAM SAID, “
O
NE HAS LIFTED OUR SPIRITS AND GIVEN US HOPE…
B
ARACK HAS SHOWN SOME PROMISE, TOO.
O
NE HAS MOVIE STAR LOOKS,
M
ICKEY CAN ACT REALLY WELL.
T
HE WINNER IS
M
ICKEY
R
OURKE – THE LEADER OF THE GUY WORLD.”

M
ICKEY GAVE AWAY HIS UNUSUAL TROPHY, A GIANT PAIR OF ANTLERS, TO
US
SERVICEMEN IN THE AUDIENCE, EXPLAINING, “
W
HAT THE FUCK AM
I
GOING TO DO WITH THESE ANTLERS IN MY HOUSE?
I
WOULD RATHER THEY BE ON THE FRONT OF SOME TANK IN
A
FGHANISTAN OR
I
RAQ WHERE THEY’RE KICKING ASS.”

I
T WAS THE LAST EVENT OF A LONG AWARDS SEASON THAT HAD SEEN
M
ICKEY KICKING ASS AND CLEANING UP – WITH JUST ONE MAJOR PRIZE MISSING.
S
O MANY FANS AND FRIENDS HAVE TOLD HIM HE DESERVED THE
O
SCAR TO ADD TO HIS AWARD COLLECTION BUT
M
ICKEY SEEMS OKAY WITH THE GAP ON HIS MANTELPIECE.
A
S HE TOLD INTERVIEWER
B
ARBARA
W
ALTERS IN HER SPECIAL WHICH AIRED ON
US
TV
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
O
SCARS, THE AWARD WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT HONOR BUT IT WASN’T EVERYTHING TO HIM.
H
E EXPLAINED, “
I
N THE BIG PICTURE, YOU CAN’T EAT IT, YOU CAN’T FUCK IT AND IT WON’T GET ME INTO HEAVEN.”

10
H
ITTING
S
ELF
-D
ESTRUCT

M
ICKEY
R
OURKE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH ON THE FLOOR OF THE CLOSET IN HIS
L
OS
A
NGELES HOME AND THOUGHT ABOUT ENDING IT ALL.
C
ARRÉ
O
TIS HAD LEFT HIM, HIS CAREER LAY IN TATTERS, HIS MONEY WAS MOSTLY GONE AND HE DIDN’T WANT TO BE ALIVE ANY MORE.
H
E KNEW THAT SUICIDE WAS A COWARD’S WAY OUT AND THAT AS A
C
ATHOLIC HE SHOULDN’T EVEN CONSIDER IT BUT, IN HIS DESPERATION,
M
ICKEY JUST WANTED TO DISAPPEAR.
H
IS RETREAT FROM THE USUAL COMFORTS OF NORMAL LIFE WAS NOW SO PROFOUND THAT
M
ICKEY HAD RECENTLY TAKEN TO SLEEPING IN THE CLOSET, BECAUSE HE FOUND HIDING AWAY IN THERE MORE COMFORTABLE THAN BEING IN HIS OWN BED.

A
LL SORTS OF DARK THOUGHTS CLOUDED HIS MIND, AND HE REFLECTED THAT HE HAD NEVER FELT SO ALONE AND SO UNLOVED.
P
ERHAPS HE WOULD SWALLOW A DEADLY AMOUNT OF PILLS OR PUT A GUN IN HIS MOUTH.
T
HEN HE WAS JOINED IN THE CLOSET BY HIS FAVORITE DOG AT THE TIME,
B
EAU
J
ACK, WHO LOOKED UP AT HIM SADLY AND WHIMPERED.
I
T SEEMED TO
M
ICKEY THAT THE
C
HIHUAHUA WAS SAYING, “
B
UT WHO’S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF ME IF YOU GO?’

T
HAT SMALL NOISE FROM A LITTLE DOG WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE
M
ICKEY BANISH ALL THOUGHTS OF ENDING HIS LIFE AND PICK HIMSELF UP FROM THE FLOOR.
B
UT HE WAS GOING TO NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP – NOT JUST THE LOYALTY OF A LOVING DOG – TO PULL HIM OUT OF THIS PIT OF MISERY.
M
ICKEY HAD THOUGHT SHRINKS WERE JUST FOR CRAZY PEOPLE.
N
OW
M
ICKEY DECIDED TO SEE A THERAPIST, A MAN HE SIMPLY CALLS “
S
TEVE.”
F
IFTEEN YEARS LATER, HE IS STILL SEEING HIM.